


Escaping the Red Room

by Nicxan



Category: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019), Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Series - Alvin Schwartz
Genre: (THAT'S WHAT SARAH'S GONNA GET ME WITH. GRAMMAR AND TENSES.), (WHICH WAS A NIGHTMARE BTW), Gen, Present Tense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-17
Updated: 2019-09-17
Packaged: 2020-10-20 17:10:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20678930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nicxan/pseuds/Nicxan
Summary: Charlie needs help getting out of here.I can be that help.





	Escaping the Red Room

**Author's Note:**

> Now, this might be my bias towards the Pale Lady showing, but I find it very interesting that the Pale Lady is a nicer spirit in the books and malevolent in the movie.  
And then I wondered how the Pale Lady felt about that. 
> 
> So here you go. 8U

I feel so sad for that poor, poor boy. It almost hurts to watch this.  
  
Charlie looks so scared. He’s so lost in this maze, and he can’t seem to get his bearings. I can see him running around frantically, desperately trying to escape this horrible place that I had warned him about in his dreams. He keeps slamming against the doors, jiggling the handles, trying to break through the windows … anything and everything to flee from here.  
  
Young people like this are always so stubborn and always so determined. I’m so proud of him for fighting so hard against such a terrible fate. He might be screaming in terror and crying from fear, but he’s still trying to escape. He’s fighting through everything to survive, even with the odds stacked against him.  
  
But it’s clear he can’t do this alone.  
  
I can help him. I _want_ to help him. This guiding force with is telling me how, exactly, I can save Charlie from his demise. She’s whispering to me, saying I could save him from this evil, _evil_ place, telling me about powers I didn’t even know I possessed. Her shadow’s close to me, her power nearly overwhelming my senses – and it’s enough to drive me forward.   
  
At first, it hurts to walk. My toes burn against the floor with every step, still stinging with ages-old pain. My movement is slow and clumsy; it’s as fast as I could move, but it still isn’t nearly as fast as I want to be. It doesn’t take long for Charlie to notice me in the hallway, and he stops for a moment. I can see him process what’s happening – that I’ve joined him in the red room.  
  
It’s enough to make me smile, and I can’t help but giggle to myself. I nervously wring my hands together and I have to ignore the pain that shoots through my arms when I do it. It’s all worth it. He’s going to escape with _my _help. It feels so good to be useful. All of this is so _exciting!_  
  
Charlie doesn’t seem too excited, though. One look at me is enough to scare him off, and his scream echoes through the nearly infinite hallways.   
  
I don’t stop walking, though. I couldn’t let that, of all things, stop me. Why take it personally? He’s _scared._ He’s not thinking straight. Surely he knows that I’m here to help him leave the red room. Why would he think anything else after I tried to warn him of danger in his dreams? So, I keep moving. It’s the only thing I can do.   
  
Besides, even if I want to stop, I don’t think I can.   
  
Charlie keeps running through the hallways – and thanks to the powers that are realized by that shadow, I can meet him at every turn. It’s reassuring to know that he can’t accidentally wander out of my sight and possibly get hurt. He clearly doesn’t feel the same, as I can feel his fear magnify every time I get closer.   
  
And closer.  
  
And closer.  
  
And _closer_.  
  
I can see myself surround him on all sides, leaving him nowhere else to run. Leaving him nowhere else to get lost. His tears make me hesitate for just a moment, but … he doesn’t know what’s best for him. Not here. He can get himself hurt if he keeps darting around like he is – I can’t let that happen. I have to help him. It’s why I’m here.   
  
I slowly open my arms to Charlie, smiling as wide as I can to comfort him. He’s not screaming – not anymore – but I can still see him crying silently. His knees shake, and I can see his hands tremble as I approach.   
  
I’m so glad that I can protect him. I’m so glad I that I can hold him close and tight, just so he knows that I’m going to save him. He’ll be out of the red room soon. _Very_ soon. He’s slowly leaving it now as I speak. I can feel his body be absorbed into mine, seeping under my body and becoming one with me.   
  
There’s a faint, strangled gasp during all of this, but I pay it no mind. Poor Charlie is just probably so exhausted and wants to rest. I can give him all the rest he wants.   
  
He knows all I want to do is help him.


End file.
